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Screenwriter Accuses Disney Of Stealing The Idea For 'Zootopia'


Disney Ginnifer Goodwin Jason Bateman

Disney is being sued by a screenwriter who claims the company stole his idea for the Oscar-winning animated film Zootopia.

Gary L. Goldman, who wrote 1990 sci-fi flick Total Recall and executive produced Minority Report, claims in a lawsuit that Disney’s Zootopia is “substantially similar” to a project he once pitched with the same title.

ZootopiaZootopia’s bunny cop Judy and sly fox Nick Wilde

Continue reading: Screenwriter Accuses Disney Of Stealing The Idea For 'Zootopia'

Office Christmas Party Review

Good

Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman reunite with The Switch directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck for a holiday comedy based on a story by the guys who wrote The Hangover movies. Yes, this is pretty much what you expect it will be: a clumsily written lark that strains for gross-out gags. But it also manages to keep the audience laughing, simply because the cast is up for it.

It's set in the Chicago branch of a technology firm, where the playful director Clay (T.J. Miller) has created a lively atmosphere but is losing money. So his CEO sister Carol (Aniston) drops in to tell him she's planning to shut down the branch. Clay and manager Josh (Bateman) have one last hope: to land a big client (Courtney B. Vance), so they invite him to their epic Christmas party, which is also designed to assure the staff that everything is fine. Helping with the plan are the IT expert Tracey (Olivia Munn) and the HR director Mary (Kate McKinnon). And no one is surprised when the festivities begin to spin crazily out of control.

Frankly, the party itself is the weakest thing about the movie, as it's blown up far beyond credibility, and never given much attention in the narrative. Instead, the through-line is the wacky caper involving the central characters, played by a gang of actors who are experts at improvisation, so they continually throw amusing bits of unexpected comedy at the audience. The winner is McKinnon, who is consistently hysterical, stealing every scene as she did in Ghostbusters. But Munn's acerbic wit and Miller's endearing nuttiness give her a run for her money. As does Rob Corddry as a chucklehead colleague. By comparison, Aniston and Bateman anchor the film as the vaguely more grounded figures. Although Carol is a pretty nasty piece of work, we have no doubt that everyone will wear her down in the end.

Continue reading: Office Christmas Party Review

Office Christmas Party Trailer


For many large companies, the office Christmas party are nights that can rapidly descend into mayhem. Free flowing liquor, music, Santa hats and the thought of the Winter Holiday period off work are enough motivation to drive even the most straight of employees to unwind.

Clay Vanstone is part of the family business, out of all their branches, his in the one that's failing and Clay is hardly a usually businessman. His sister, Carol is firm on the idea of closing down his branch but Clay is steadfast in saving the business. 

As the holidays approach, Clay comes up with the great idea of combining the office party with a boozy meeting with some new clients, who, if they win their business would be enough to save their fun-loving branch. 

Continue: Office Christmas Party Trailer

Central Intelligence Review

Very Good

After teaming up with Will Ferrell for Get Hard and Ice Cube for two Ride Along movies, Kevin Hart takes on The Rock in this entertaining action-comedy bromance. They make a great couple, as Dwayne Johnson's bulk cleverly contrasts with Hart's tightly wound intensity. Even more enjoyable is that they've essentially swapped roles, with Hart as the straight guy opposite Johnson's awkward goofball.

They play characters who knew each other in high school, when Calvin (Hart) was the king of the campus, captain of every sports team, star of every theatre production, top student and boyfriend of the sexiest cheerleader (Danielle Nicolet), whom he went on to marry. On the other hand, Bob (Johnson) was a badly bullied, overweight kid, who now turns up in town for their 20th reunion as a beefy muscleman. Clearly a little unhinged, Bob is also a rogue CIA operative, hunted by his boss Pam (Amy Ryan) for killing his partner (Aaron Paul) and other crimes he insists he didn't commit. So he ropes Calvin in to help clear his name, but Calvin finds this situation so insane that he's not sure who to believe.

While all of this plays out in a blissfully silly way, there's also a bit of an edge to the movie as it explores the issue of bullying with some gentle nuance that includes racism, sexism and homophobia. So even when it's rude or mindlessly corny, the movie is making a point. That said, the message might have been more convincing without the over-the-top violence that fills all of the action sequences. Thankfully, that never drowns out the terrific chemistry between Johnson and Hart, who bounce hilariously off each other as two men who have been emasculated in very different ways and need to prove themselves. This vulnerability makes both of them easy to identify with, especially as they play with their usual on-screen personas.

Continue reading: Central Intelligence Review

Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis And Charlie Day Return In The Regrettable 'Horrible Bosses 2'


Jason Bateman Jason Sudeikis Charlie Day Jennifer Aniston

Every year we get a few new examples of sequels no-one asked for; follow-ups to movies that weren't particularly memorable to begin with but for whatever reason made enough cash to spawn a second instalment in the feeble hope that a franchise might be in the making.

Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and Jason Bateman in 'Horrible Bosses 2'
[L-R] Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis and Jason Bateman in 'Horrible Bosses 2'

The current example is 'Horrible Bosses 2', the continuing adventures of three morons (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day) who spectacularly failed to take care of their boss problems the first time around. The prime selling point for the original film was Jennifer Aniston talking dirty, so of course that role has been beefed up considerably this time. But critics have slammed the sequel for being even more vacuous than its predecessor.

Continue reading: Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis And Charlie Day Return In The Regrettable 'Horrible Bosses 2'

Jason Bateman, Tina Fey And The Cast Of "This Is Where I Leave You" Take The Drama To BookCon


Tina Fey Jason Bateman Jane Fonda Adam Driver

Apparently the first ever BookCon, held in NYC over the weekend isn’t just limited to what its name would suggest. Case in point: Tina Fey, Jason Bateman and author Jonathan Topper dropping in to promote their upcoming film, This Is Where I Leave You. There is a tie-in, in that the film is based on the eponymous book by Topper. Both the novel and the film adaptation tell reunion tale of the Altman family.

Tina Fey
Tina Fey and co. are currently promoting their latest flick, due out in September.

The members of the family are all dealing with their individual issues, when they are forced to reconnect after the death of their father and the family patriarch.

Continue reading: Jason Bateman, Tina Fey And The Cast Of "This Is Where I Leave You" Take The Drama To BookCon

Ok, So Jason Bateman's 'Bad Words' Is Probably The Best Comedy Of 2014


Jason Bateman Kathryn Hahn

Jason Bateman's directorial debut Bad Words has received glowing reviews ahead of its full U.S. release on March 28, 2014. Bateman plays Guy Trilby, a 40-year-old who finds a loophole in the rules of The Golden Quill national spelling bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition.

Jason Bateman Bad WordsJason Bateman as Guy Trilby in 'Bad Words'

Guy ruthlessly crushes the dreams of 8th graders and their ambitious parents, though a reporter - played by We're the Millers' Kathryn Hahn - attempts to discover his true motivation and an awkward 10-year-old proves to be his match.

Continue reading: Ok, So Jason Bateman's 'Bad Words' Is Probably The Best Comedy Of 2014

A Week In Movies: SAG And Globe Nominations, The Stars Hit Europe, Big Sci-fi Trailers Debut...


Tom Cruise Leonardo Dicaprio Martin Freeman Channing Tatum Brendan Gleeson Jason Bateman

The Wolf Of Wall Street Logo

As we move properly into awards season, films are jostling to be the frontrunner. This week saw nominations announced by the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild, two key awards in the run-up to Oscar night. At the moment, the leading contenders are David O Russell's Abscam comedy-drama American Hustle and Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave. But anything can happen, see the other contenders here.

The dark horse in the awards race is The Wolf of Wall Street, a late entry into contention. The film held its European premiere in Paris on Monday, attended by Leonardo Dicaprio, director Martin Scorsese and costar Jean Dujardin. Buzz is growing quickly for the film, which opens in most cinemas in January. Watch the latest trailer for Wolf Of Wall Street here!

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: SAG And Globe Nominations, The Stars Hit Europe, Big Sci-fi Trailers Debut...

Mumford & Sons Fans Pranked By Masquerading Comedians In 'Hopeless Wanderer' [Video]


Mumford And Sons Jason Sudeikis Ed Helms Will Forte Jason Bateman

The video begins just like any other Mumford & Sons vid; nothing to suspect here. Rays of sunlight obscure the banjo twanging members as they play in the middle of a country field. There's out of focus striding through long grass and slow motion walking up a dirt track with their folk instruments. There's no reason to believe the band on video could be any other performers than the British folksters themselves.

Mumford & Sons
The Group Let Themselves Be Parodied.

That is, until the sun-streaked dust clears and our suspicions are aroused. Is that really Marcus Mumford? Isn't Ted Dwane's beard looking a bit raggier than usual? Wait a minute - that worn, rustic, wooden instrument isn't really being played. They're fakes!

Continue reading: Mumford & Sons Fans Pranked By Masquerading Comedians In 'Hopeless Wanderer' [Video]

Netflix Introduces Multiple Viewer Profiles


Jason Bateman Taylor Schilling Will Arnett

Netflix has introduced their new viewer profile feature. The multi profiles (up to five per account) will allow individual viewers their own viewing area which will ensure they are receiving appropriate recommendations.

Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman and Amanda Anka at the premiere of Season 4 of Arrested Development at the TCL Theater in L.A. Arrested Development is one of Netflix's flagship shows.

The tool was introduced in the US on Thursday so the internet provider would better be able to understand their audiences' viewing habits and needs. For instance a child of 6 may enjoy watching a show such as Peppa Pig whereas the 30+ adults of the household may prefer horror films. There's a distinct difference between the sorts of recommendations Netflix would provide for the two very different audiences. This latest application is intended to solve this problem. 

Continue reading: Netflix Introduces Multiple Viewer Profiles

After SNL, Where Does Jason Sudeikis Go Next?


Jason Sudeikis Bill Hader Fred Armisen Andy Samberg Seth Meyers Kristen Wiig Jennifer Aniston Emma Roberts Seth Gordon Jason Bateman Charlie Day

Jason Sudeikis, the most high profile member of the Saturday Night Live cast, has announced he will not be returning to the show in the fall. Sudeikis is following comedians Bill Hader, Fred Armisen, Andy Samberg, Seth Meyers and Kristen Wiig out of the long-running show, leaving NBC bosses with a dilemma on their hands as they seek to keep the show relevant, popular and most of all funny for its 39th season.

Sudeikis, who has worked on the show for 10 years, announced the news during a taping of the Late Show with David Letterman,

"Yeah, I'm going to leave. Yeah, I'm not coming back next fall." he told the veteran host, to a bewildered audience. Letterman had apparently not heard of the departure and began asking the actor questions about life working on the show, with the 37-year-old dropping the bombshell shortly after.

Continue reading: After SNL, Where Does Jason Sudeikis Go Next?

Primetime Emmy Awards 2013: How Accurate Were Nomination Predictions?


Emmy Awards Sofia Vergara Kevin Spacey Toby Jones Neil Patrick Harris Maggie Smith Helen Mirren Netflix Paul Aaron Kate Mara Adam Driver Ed O'Neill Bobby Cannavale Mandy Patinkin Jim Carter Al Pacino Peter Dinklage Michael Douglas Matt Damon Anna Gunn Alec Baldwin Matt Le Blanc Jason Bateman Bill Hader Tony Hale Julie Bowen Kerry Washington Claire Danes Connie Britton Jon Hamm Damian Lewis Jeff Daniels Emilia Clarke Christina Hendricks Benedict Cumberbatch Laura Linney Jessica Lange Game Of Thrones

The Primetime Emmy Award nominations were announced yesterday (Thursday 18th July). The nomination ceremony was presented by Kate Mara and Aaron Paul via a live video stream on the Emmy's website. 

Kate Mara
Kate Mara at the Vanity Fair and Juicy Couture's Celebration of 2013 in L.A.

Netflix has managed to triumph with nominations for their shows: House of Cards; Hemlock Grove and Arrested Development. The company are developing this aspect of their business, which is proving hugely popular and profitable. The future does seem bright for the company which announced it was expanding into its 64th country. It also seems likely their awards over the next few years will increase especially with recent praise of Orange is the New Black

Continue reading: Primetime Emmy Awards 2013: How Accurate Were Nomination Predictions?

What Do The Emmy Nominations Tell Us About The 2013 TV Landscape?


Amy Poehler Tina Fey Jason Bateman Kevin Spacey

Emmy nominations are in and with that the season for speculation is open. There’s no question about one thing though: for a newcomer, Netflix is taking the awards by storm. Although the major networks are welcoming the two productions by the online TV provider – Arrested Development and House of Cards, there’s no doubt that Netflix’s move on the original programming market should be making traditional media giants just a tiny bit nervous. But what exactly are the Netflix shows nominated for? Well, they got the big ones, for Lead Actor, Actress and Directing in a Drama Series and of course, for Outstanding Drama Series overall. Arrested Development also received a big nod, with Jason Bateman being nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series.

Jason Bateman. Meet the Filmmakers Panel
Bateman is getting some recognition this year.

Fans of shows generally underappreciated by awards committees, such as Parks & Rec, for example, also have a reason to celebrate. Amy Poehler was nominated for Lead in a comedy, as was Tina Fey for the now cancelled 30 Rock. Behind the Candelabra is ahead of the pack, while HBO’s Game of Thrones and FX’s American Horror Story: Asylum follow close behind. Mad Men is also bowing out on a high note, with several nominations, before it returns in the fall for one final season.

Continue reading: What Do The Emmy Nominations Tell Us About The 2013 TV Landscape?

'House Of Cards' Heralds New Era Of TV With Emmy Nomination


Kevin Spacey Jason Bateman Michael Cera Arrested Development Taylor Schilling Jason Biggs

How do you stop piracy? Do you offer up exclusive content, only available on physical purchases? Do you appeal to the box-set culture, or do you try and exert limitations that make it impossible? All these have been tried, but none of these have worked, and there’s one simple reason: you can’t stop piracy.

Kevin SpaceySpacey stars in the online-only House of Cards

But what you can do is make it pointless. With low-costing, subscription-free on-demand streaming services becoming ever-popular – Netflix being the golden child of a generation – watching content when it suits you is no longer illegal, and no longer does it cost loads of money.

Continue reading: 'House Of Cards' Heralds New Era Of TV With Emmy Nomination

Primetime Emmy Award Nominations: Will Netflix Triumph With 'Arrested Development'?


Aaron Paul Lena Dunham Tina Fey Game Of Thrones Arrested Development Kate Mara Claire Danes Hugh Dancy Bobby Cannavale Noah Emmerich David Morrissey Matthew Rhys Vera Farmiga Adam Driver Neil Patrick Harris Jessica Walter Jon Cryer Charlie Sheen Jason Bateman Sofia Vergara

The Primetime Emmy Award nominations will be announced on Thursday (18th July). Speculation surrounding the awards is high, with Netflix's Arrested Development predicted to triumph. The awards will be announced by Kate Mara and Aaron Paul.

Aaron Paul
Aaron Paul will announce the nominations on Thursday.

Game Of Thrones is also suspected as a strong contender in the category of Best Drama Series. Homeland who won a number of awards last year is predicted to flop owing to its disappointing second series.

Continue reading: Primetime Emmy Award Nominations: Will Netflix Triumph With 'Arrested Development'?

'Arrested Development' Spurs Illegal Download Flurry


Jason Bateman Michael Cera Arrested Development

Arrested Development has spurred a development that could get people arrested. It’s also landed us the award for ‘most laboured pun’, which we’re pretty happy about. Despite the entire show being released on streaming service Netflix, the show has been illegally downloaded using the torrent method.

100,000 people either ignored the fact they could get a free one-month Netflix trial and watch the whole season cost free, or they simply didn’t know it. The fact that is was available in its entirety, on a streaming service, has meant less illegal downloads, though. Game of Thrones, for instance, showsn on HBO in America and Sky Atlantic in the U.K, reached millions of downloads, as did shows like The Walking Dead, Lost and Breaking Bad. Arrested Development has received a mixed reception since coming back from the dead. It was cancelled for low ratings, despite being one of the most popular shows of its generation. Seasons one, two and three were all highly rated, and developed a cult following, which lead to this long-awaited return. Perhaps the method of watching it, with many people binging on season 4, and the weight of expectation have dragged it down into mediocrity.

Continue reading: 'Arrested Development' Spurs Illegal Download Flurry

Arrested Development – Back To Its Best?


Jason Bateman Michael Cera Arrested Development

You’ve all probably binge-watched Arrested Development now, haven’t you; you consumer-obsessed bunch of popcorn eating, sleeping-bag-clad television addicts. But was it back to its best?

It’s not up to you, really. Sure you’ve watched it, but we have to let the experts decide whether something was good or not. The Telegraph – they’re experts, and they don’t think it’s back to the Arrested best. “Whether or not it was worth the wait depends largely on how tickled you are by the words ‘Steve Holt!’ or ‘motherboy’,” they write. “Embracing the impenetrably self-referential joke-within-joke formula that got it taken off the air in the first place, the new series makes no concessions whatsoever to new viewers.” The Hollywood Reporter were more impressed with the return of this cult classic. Not only is there a real brilliance to how the episodes are constructed,” they write, “but after a slow-ish start (as creator Mitch Hurwitz and his writers no doubt had to get their mojo back, but also because the structure is incredibly intricate and, at first glance, there seems to be a disjointed feeling to them), the comedic payout begins to multiply with each succeeding episode.”

Michael CeraThe Arrested Development gang outside the infamous banana stand

Continue reading: Arrested Development – Back To Its Best?

Welcome Back, Arrested Development Stars Will Arnett And Jason Bateman Pick Fight At Premiere


Will Arnett Jason Bateman Arrested Development

Yes, the peeps of Arrested Development are cool on screen and off. Or at least we like to think so. The show will finally be back on screen (in a whole new way) next week and everyone is SO EXCITED. Yes, the caps were absolutely necessary there. After a seven-year absence (has it really been that long?) the Bluth family is back in fifteen all-new episodes, premiering May 26th on Netflix. Not only that, but there is also a rumored movie, also written by the creator, Mitch Hurwitz, picking up where the fourth season ends.

Will Arnett, Arrested Development Premiere
Arnett looked casual and relaxed at the LA premiere.

The premiere for said season was held this week in Los Angeles and, of course, Jason Bateman and Will Arnett had to go and make a scene. It was a funny one though and aptly reminiscent of the show, in which Bateman and Arnett’s characters (Michael and Gob Bluth) are constantly at each other’s throats.

Continue reading: Welcome Back, Arrested Development Stars Will Arnett And Jason Bateman Pick Fight At Premiere

Arrested Development: How Can Season Four Live Up To The Publicity?


Arrested Development Ron Howard Terry Crews Jason Bateman

In what is probably one of the most anticipated television moments to happen in recent memory, Arrested Development will make its long-awaited return to the small screen (in particular the computer screen) by the end of May. As such, the cast and crew have been hard at work whipping up even more publicity in the shape of interviews, banana stands and as many in-jokes and double entendres you can throw in a pot and make into a stew being thrown around the web.

The Bluth's famous banana stands have got to be one of the best marketing ploys by a film or TV show to date, and if the new season gains enough momentum then hopefully they will become a regularly marketed item (please God!). Recently at the Columbus Circle banana handout in New York, show producer and narrator Ron Howard and everybody's favourite beefcake Terry Crews - who will be appearing in the new series - the mixing of stars and the public typified just what makes the show so good. As Crews explained, "You really feel like they're members of your family, and that's what makes it so funny. Because you recognize all the dysfunction, even in yourself."

Continue reading: Arrested Development: How Can Season Four Live Up To The Publicity?

Can The New Arrested Development Really Live Up To The Hype?


Jason Bateman Michael Cera

May 26, 2013. An important date for Arrested Development fans, as that’s the date when the new series of the show, starring Jason Bateman and Michael Cera shall be unleashed, exclusively on Netflix. The show’s producers have slowly been drip-feeding tiny bits of advance information through to avid fans of the show, including single-character advertising posters and a brief clip of Buster and Lucille doing what they do best (Lucille taking advantage of her youngest son, basically…)

Whilst the actual plot hasn’t really been given away, what we do know is that each of the 15 episodes is going to feature a different character and all 15 will be available to stream in their entirety, all on the same day. Prepare for an Arrested Development marathon, folks… Originally only ten episodes were ordered, though that was later upped to 15, with a focus on different members of the Bluth family and their associations (some characters will get more than one episode dedicated to them). A recent feature from Entertainment Weekly suggests that it will be rare to see all nine of the central characters together at the same time, though there is one scene in Lucille’s penthouse, which was recreated specifically for the new season.  

Whether or not this new experimental approach to Arrested Development will work and live up to the hype, of course, remains to be seen. There’s every possibility that series creator Mitch Hurwitz has totally lost the plot and we’re all going to be terribly disappointed come the end of May 

Continue reading: Can The New Arrested Development Really Live Up To The Hype?

Hurrah! Netflix Confirm Arrested Development Premiere


Jason Bateman

It’s the news we’ve all been waiting for, Arrested Development has an official launch date! Netflix, who have signed a deal to air the comeback series of the much loved cult comedy show, have revealed that fans will be getting a chance to watch the 15 (15!) new episodes from their streaming service on May 26th. Much like other Netflix premieres such as House Of Cards, the entire season will be available to subscribers on the same day.

"In truth we are doing something very ambitious that can only be done with Netflix as partners and on their platform," said Mitchell Hurwitz about Netflix plans to make the show available 24/7. "Finally my simple wish for the show is coming true: that it be broadcast every second around the clock to every television, computer or mobile device in existence."

It’s been over seven years since fans got a chance to check up on the antics of the Bluth family, a rich family with a corrupt father whom allegedly built houses for Iraq. Starring Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Will Arnett, Portia De Rossi and David Cross among others, all of the main stars will be returning as well as cameo stars like Ben Stiller. The show was hugely critically acclaimed in 2006, but with a bad run of ratings, Fox cancelled it. A constant pressure to bring it back from fans saw the cast reveal in 2011 that they would indeed be filming more episodes.

Continue reading: Hurrah! Netflix Confirm Arrested Development Premiere

The Bluths Are Back In Town! Nearly... Arrested Development Return Date Announced


Michael Cera Jason Bateman

That’s it folks, the wait is over. The moment that we have all been weeping in tense anticipation for has finally arrived. Well, actually, it hasn’t arrived yet, but we know when it will arrive so that’s a huge weight off of everybody’s minds. In the absence of a drum roll, allow us to cut to the chase. The Bluth family are back. Netflix have finally announced the return of Arrested Development, starring Michael Cera and Jason Bateman. We all knew it was going to happen… sometime… and now we know when.

15 (count ‘em!) new episodes of the show have been commissioned by Netflix, the online streaming service and Cinemablend reports that they’re going to be launched into the big wide world on May 26, 2013, for all to see (well, all of you who pay your Netflix subscription, that is). That’s a whole episode more than we were originally promised, meaning that AD fans have even more reason to celebrate and look for excuses to be placed in a medically-induced coma between now and May 26.

The plotline for the new series has been kept well and truly hidden. Better hidden than George Bluth Sr. was in the loft all those weeks… What we do know, however, is that they have some seriously high calibre guest stars in the pipeline, including Kristen Wiig, Ben Stiller, Carl Weathers and Conan O’Brien. 

Continue reading: The Bluths Are Back In Town! Nearly... Arrested Development Return Date Announced

Identity Thief Review


OK

There's real potential in this premise for a ripping screwball comedy anchored by two likeable actors, but the filmmakers simply don't trust the material, stirring in constant elements of action mayhem that don't work at all. Pointless car chases, over-violent fight scenes, murderous henchmen, a ruthless bounty hunter and even a full-on heist: all of these things feel like irrelevant distractions for a movie that's essentially just a remake of Planes, Trains and Automobiles, with an identity-theft twist.

Bateman plays the androgynously named Sandy Patterson, a Denver accountant struggling to make ends meet when he's offered a great new job with a colleague (Cho) that will better help him support his pregnant wife (Peet) and their two precocious daughters. Then suddenly everything is jeopardised when someone steals his identity and, for some inexplicable reason, he has to go to Florida and bring the culprit back to Denver himself. The con artist turns out to be Diana (McCarthy), who's a lot feistier than Sandy expects. And as they begin the long road trip to Colorado, he discovers that she's also being chased by two mob goons (Harris and Rodriguez) and a bounty hunter (Patrick).

Plenty of films manage to mix violence and comedy effectively, but director Gordon and writer Mazin seem to flail at every turn, wildly veering from corny sentimentality to ugly brutality, punctuated by humour that only occasionally makes us laugh. And at nearly two hours, the film feels far too long even though the pace is frenetic. The various set pieces simply don't fit in with the basic premise, leaving the plot in tatters. All of these nasty villains chasing Diana are utterly meaningless, and many of the action sequences feel both inexplicable and implausible.

Continue reading: Identity Thief Review

A Week In Movies:Carell, Buscemi And Carrey Get Magical, Danny Boyle Back With Ewan McGregor And A First Glimpse Of Bling Ring


Steve Carell Steve Buscemi Jim Carrey James McAvoy Ewan McGregor Steve Coogan Jason Bateman Emma Watson Leslie Mann Gavin Rossdale

Burt Wonderstone

The big global release this week is the comedy pastiche The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, starring Steve Carell, Steve Buscemi, Jim Carrey and Alan Arkin as Las Vegas musicians in a battle between old-school illusions and street-magic stunts. Warm and funny, it's also just as silly as you think it'll be.

In between performances as Macbeth on London's West End stage, James McAvoy has been out promoting his new film Welcome to the Punch, an unusually glossy cop thriller set in East London. The film opens this weekend in the UK. Speaking to Contactmusic, he talks about how making action movies is a breeze, and why he prefers to work in Britain if he has the chance. Until a new X-men movie comes up, that is.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies:Carell, Buscemi And Carrey Get Magical, Danny Boyle Back With Ewan McGregor And A First Glimpse Of Bling Ring

Jason Bateman Starring Film Disconnect Reveals New Trailer (Video)


Jason Bateman

Starring Jason Bateman, Alexander Skarsgard and Paul Patton, Disconnect is a potentially fascinating story that explores a group of people trying to find communication with each other in a commentary about how technology and reliance on it is making humanity increasingly isolated.

Derek and Cindy are the central characters, and the pair’s involvement with the internet causes a huge break down in their marriage, with him struggling to get over an online gambling addiction, while she is having an affair with someone she met on a social networking site. The trailer released shows them and their family all variously connected to the internet for their own various usages, but, as you might expect, things soon get dark, people start looking frayed and tense, and things go wrong. Other people involved meanwhile include a teenage boy who finds himself the victim of cyber bullying, while a journalist sets out to get an inside scoop on teenagers use of webcams.

Continue reading: Jason Bateman Starring Film Disconnect Reveals New Trailer (Video)

Identity Thief Steals The Top Spot With $36.6m At The Box Office


Melissa McCarthy Jason Bateman

Beating the movie that propelled its star into the spotlight, Identity Thief starring Melissa McCarthy has beaten 2011's Bridesmaids in its opening days, scoring an impressive $36.6m over the weekend.

Despite largely poor reviews, Identity Thief has smashed expectations which, as MTV reports, were estimated between $20-30m rather than almost doubling the lower estimates. The number is particularly impressive given the horrendous snowstorm that ripped through the North East of the USA which would have certainly meant many people wouldn't have even been able to get to the movies. Identity Thief is about an exuberant identity thief (McCarthy) who steals the identity of a business man (Jason Bateman) who ends up losing his job because of the con. He then hunts down McCarthy wanting her to confess to her con to restore his life to normal.

McCarthy's performance wasn't criticized too much, it seemed the film as a whole just didn't work. Nevertheless, it might take something of a miracle to put her back in the goodbooks of critics. As the Hollywood Reporter wrote last week, she's got three new projects in the pipeline, so hopefully she'll claw back some brownie points there. The new projects are called; Michelle Darnell, Cousin Irv From Mars and Just Do It, an adaptation of the Douglas Brown memoir about he and his wife tried to rekindle their sex life after 14 years of marriage. 

Poor Reviews Don't Reflect Box Office Takings: Identity Thief Is Biggest Opener Of 2013


Melissa McCarthy Jason Bateman

Good news for Melissa McCarthy: bad reviews don't always mean bad box office takings, as her the first movie for her to star in has snatched the top spot for the year so far. Taking over $30m in its first weekend, Identity Thief has defied critics and beaten all other films so far this year to be the biggest opener of 2013.

Identity Thief is about an exuberant identity thief (McCarthy) who uses credit cards to steal the details of unassuming members of the public. One of the people she cons (Jason Bateman) loses his job over the con and sets about to find her to make her confess so that he can get his life back on track. The success of the movie is said to be down to McCarthy's star power, who has delighted audiences for years in TV shows such as The Gilmore Girls and, more recently, the movie Bridesmaids. Nikki Rocco from Universal, said: "She is an absolute favorite of audiences... and has become an absolute darling particularly in middle America, where the film did very strong business." 

As the LA Times reports, prior to Identity Thief, the collaboration between Guillermo Del Toro and Jessica Chastain in Mama had managed to take $28m back in January, but that was no match for the $36.6m that Identity Thief boasts. The only other movie to open nationwide this weekend was Steven Soderberg's Side Effects, which managed only $10m, a disappointing start for the director's purported final feature film.

Continue reading: Poor Reviews Don't Reflect Box Office Takings: Identity Thief Is Biggest Opener Of 2013

Always The Bridesmaid? Melissa McCarthy’s Identity Thief Won’t Steal Your Heart


Melissa McCarthy Jason Bateman Kristen Wiig Tina Fey Seth Gordon

For some time, it looked as though Melissa McCarthy was on track to follow the likes of Kristen Wiig and Tina Fey, to becoming one of those faultless American comic actresses that can seemingly do no wrong. We fell in love with her in Bridesmaids and she kept us entertained in 'Mike and Molly'. Her next major release, though, Identity Thief, has not gone down well with the critics and looks to be something of a doozy, with its clichéd slapstick and corny ending. We expected more from Melissa McCarthy, but Identity Thief just doesn’t deliver the goods.

Along with co-star Jason Bateman (who plays Every Jason Bateman Role Ever, Again), Melissa manages to get a decent tally of belly laughs out of the audience but it’s not enough to save Identity Thief from being just another bog-standard comedy. Diana (McCarthy) is a techno-savvy identity thief, who doesn’t bank on messing with a victim like Sandy (Bateman), who hunts her down in order to get his identity back and cling on the promotion he’d just got when he was wrongly arrested for credit card fraud.

McCarthy and Bateman get a thumbs up for their individual performances but as Magnola Dhargis writes, for New York Times, “it is entirely possible to ignore the worst parts of this movie, to drift along during the lulls, slide over the half-baked jokes and just wait for Ms. McCarthy and Mr. Bateman to do their things.” With a disappointing 23% on the Rotten Tomatoes reviews site, it looks as though director Seth Gordon has failed to make another Horrible Bosses and appears to have gone down the road of his 2008 flop, Four Christmasses. Let’s hope McCarthy’s future movie plans can do a U-turn on the damage done to her reputation, here. 

Continue reading: Always The Bridesmaid? Melissa McCarthy’s Identity Thief Won’t Steal Your Heart

Life After Bridesmaids: Melissa McCarthy And Hubby Ben Falcone Have Major Movie Projects In Pipeline


Melissa McCarthy Ben Falcone Jason Bateman Seth Gordon

Melissa McCarthy’s career has been going from strength to strength since appearing in the 2011 hit comedy Bridesmaids. Now, McCarthy and her husband and working partner Ben Falcone have a series of major projects in the pipeline with Universal and Fox. The projects will be helmed by On the Day, the production company formed by Melissa and Ben.

First up is Michelle Darnell, which has been snapped up by Universal, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This particular project centers around a character created by the working couple and is set to star Melissa McCarthy, who will also be producing along with Falcone. Universal have also taken on Cousin Irv From Mars, based on the recent book by Bruce Eric Kaplan (the New Yorker cartoonist, who has also written scripts for Seinfeld and Six Feet Under). On the Day will also be taking on Fox’s adaptation of the comic self-help sex guide, Just Do It: How One Couple Turned Off the TV and Turned On Their Sex Lives for 101 Days (No Excuses!). The adaptation is taken from a book by Douglas Brown, who told the story of his and his wife’s attempts to rekindle their sex lives after 14 years of marriage.

McCarthy is soon to appear in Universal’s Identity Thief, alongside Jason Bateman, with Seth Gordon in the director’s seat. 

Continue reading: Life After Bridesmaids: Melissa McCarthy And Hubby Ben Falcone Have Major Movie Projects In Pipeline

Arrested Development Season 4 On Netflix, And Fans Rejoice


Jason Bateman

Arrested Development - the comedy TV show canceled in 2006 by Fox after three seasons is being revived this year by Netflix Inc., as a tweet from the media streaming giants confirmed the news.

"It's confirmed! #ArrestedDevelopment. 14 Episodes. May. Only on Netflix. #TCA13" read the tweet, which was met by an excited legion of fans retweeting, replying and generally reveling. Fans love reveling. And that's not all. Many have suggested, as well as stars of the show, that this may be a thinly veiled pre-curser to a feature length Arrested Devopment movie. From cancellation to new season, to full length film in 7 years - good going. "This isn't season four," Jason Bateman, a star of the program, told reporters at a television critics' conference in Pasadena, California, yesterday (Jan, 9 2012). "Hopefully this is act one of what becomes a feature film." Though all 14 episodes will be released at once, show creator Mitch Hurwitz recommends that they be watched in a certain order: "It's like an album. There is an order that we have put together to create the maximum number of surprises." (via The Guardian).

The show has enjoyed cult status since being cancelled way back in 2006, and after years of fan pressure, when the stars got together, a reunion just seemed right. The move also represent a coup for Netflix, who will no doubt see an influx of new users desperate to catch that exclusive fourth season. 

Continue reading: Arrested Development Season 4 On Netflix, And Fans Rejoice

Identity Thief - Trailer Trailer


Sandy Bigelow Patterson is a successful businessman who lives in Denver, Colorado but his world is turned upside down when his credit card gets rejected at the gas station. He discovers that several expensive transactions have been made on his card including a water sports excursion in Florida - where he has never happened to venture. After making several enquiries and informing the police, he is told that his identity has been stolen. His initial shock and distress is quelled slightly on seeing a mugshot of the thief: an eccentrically dressed, overweight, middle-aged woman who Sandy thinks he can take on himself and force her to relinquish his identity after she has spent thousands of dollars on shopping, luxury items and partying. However, she proves too much for Sandy to handle when he tracks her down in Florida, aggressively refusing to give up her hold on his life.

'Identity Thief' is the side-splittingly funny crime comedy from the director of 'Horrible Bosses' Seth Gordon and written by Craig Mazin ('Scary Movie 3', 'The Hangover Part Two') . It is produced by Scott Stuber ('Ted', 'Love And Other Drugs'), Golden Globe winner Jason Bateman and Pamela Abdy ('Garden State') and will be released in cinemas in the UK on March 1st 2013.

Starring: Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, Jon Favreau, Amanda Peet, T.I, Genesis Rodriguez, Morris Chestnut, John Cho, Robert Patrick, Eric Stonestreet, Ben Falcone, Clark Duke, Mary-Charles Jones and Maggie Elizabeth Jones.

The Change-up Review


OK
The director of Wedding Crashers and writers of The Hangover get together for a body-swap comedy that's as vulgar as you'd expect. But it also dips oddly into moralising slush, which kind of undermines any expected laugh fest.

While Dave (Bateman) has become a successful lawyer, complete with gorgeous wife Jamie (Mann) and three kids, his childhood friend Mitch (Reynolds) is living like a slacker with a string of random women. One night they wish they had each other's life and the next morning they wake up in each other's skin.

Of course, after the initial wackiness, Mitch is going to have to learn how to take Dave's responsibilities seriously, while Dave will need to discover how to relax and live a little. But how can they return to their own bodies?

Continue reading: The Change-up Review

The Change-Up Trailer


Mitch and Dave were the best of friends when they were younger but over the years, they have slowly grown apart. After running into each other on a night out, both men are jealous of the other's lives. Mitch is single and lives on his own, with a number of beautiful women for his pleasure. Dave meanwhile, has a modest pay check from working at a high status law firm, a beautiful wife, Jamie and three adorable kids, whom Mitch likens to 'mini drug addicts'.

Continue: The Change-Up Trailer

Horrible Bosses Trailer


Nick Hendricks (a management candidate), Kurt Buckman (an accountant) and Dale Arbus (a dental assistant) are three best friends who love their jobs. However, for the three of them, there is just one thing coming between them and their happiness - their evil bosses.

Continue: Horrible Bosses Trailer

Paul Trailer


For the majority of their lives Graeme and Clive have been huge sci-fi geeks, and when the two Brits find an opportunity to take a road trip across America and visit Area 51, they can hardly contain their excitement. What the two friends weren't to know was that they were soon to have a new friend in the truck keeping them company; Paul.

Continue: Paul Trailer

The Switch Review


Good
A slightly more serious take on the rom-com, this film benefits hugely from its likeable cast even though the script lets frequently them down. But at least it's dealing with some meaningful topics along the way.

Kassie (Aniston) is a professional woman in New York who has given up waiting for Mr Right and starts looking for a sperm donor. This rather unsettles her best friend Wally (Bateman), who has always had a crush on her but was afraid to tell her. When Kassie finds the perfect man (Wilson), her plan moves ahead, but Wally drunkenly makes a last-minute switch. Seven years later, Kassie returns to New York with her little boy (Robinson). Wally realises what has happened, but he's even more afraid to break the news now.

Continue reading: The Switch Review

The Switch Trailer


Kassie is ready to have a baby, the problem is she isn't in a relationship and doesn't plan on settling down with a certain someone anytime soon. After much deliberation she decides that she's going to find a sperm donor and raise the child on her own. To Kassie the idea is absolutely fine but her best friend Wally is, to say the least, a little dubious that it's a good idea. Kassie throws a party to celebrate her last night of drinking and un-motherhood and she invites all her friends including Wally but when he gets a little too drunk he accidentally spills the donors sample Wally goes to extreme measures to cover up the accident and replaces the specimen with some of his own.

Continue: The Switch Trailer

Extract Trailer


Joel Reynolds is a married businessman; his business Reynold's Extract is a failing flavouring company. When his soon to be floor manager is badly injured it's just the start of worse things to come. Constantly frustrated due to the lack of sex in his marriage and his worsening financial status he turns to Dean, his best friend who works as a barman who suggests a medicinal solution to his problems. Joel being the man that he is turns down Dean's offer and returns to work.

Continue: Extract Trailer

The Invention Of Lying Trailer


Watch the trailer for The Invention Of Lying

Continue: The Invention Of Lying Trailer

The Kingdom Trailer


Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx leads an all-star ensemble in a timely thriller that tracks a powder-keg criminal investigation shared by two cultures chasing a deadly enemy ready to strike again in The Kingdom.

Continue: The Kingdom Trailer

Smokin' Aces - Clip Trailer


Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven) is a Vegas card sharp come gangster and former member of the La Cosa Nostra (LCN), one of the largest criminal organizations in the United States. In exchange for a vanishing act with Witness Protection, Israel (who is currently hiding out in the penthouse of The Nomad Casino in Lake Tahoe with his posse of bodyguards and hookers), has agreed to testify against his former mentor, Primo Sparazza, and the LCN.

Continue: Smokin' Aces - Clip Trailer

Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Review


Terrible

Can somebody please stop Ben Stiller?

Since becoming a box-office draw with "There's Something About Mary," the guy has been a horrendous ham, devouring scenery with an eye-bugging, eyebrow-stitching schtick so stale and predictable that his last dozen movies have all included the same gag: slow-motion scenes of Stiller madly mugging while dancing, or running, or playing the titular game of schoolyard pain and humiliation in "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story."

The only variation in his on-screen persona is that sometimes he's an irritatingly neurotic, hapless chump ("Along Came Polly," "Envy," "Meet the Parents") and other times he's an irritatingly arrogant, mock-sexy-pouting, self-obsessed moron ("Starsky & Hutch," "Zoolander").

Continue reading: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story Review

Jason Bateman

Jason Bateman Quick Links

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Jason Bateman

Date of birth

14th January, 1969

Occupation

Actor

Sex

Male

Height

1.80




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Jason Bateman Movies

Game Night [2018] Trailer

Game Night [2018] Trailer

What kind of idea do you cook up for a social game night when you're...

Office Christmas Party Movie Review

Office Christmas Party Movie Review

Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman reunite with The Switch directors Josh Gordon and Will Speck...

Office Christmas Party Trailer

Office Christmas Party Trailer

For many large companies, the office Christmas party are nights that can rapidly descend into...

Central Intelligence Movie Review

Central Intelligence Movie Review

After teaming up with Will Ferrell for Get Hard and Ice Cube for two Ride...

Zootopia [aka Zootropolis] Movie Review

Zootopia [aka Zootropolis] Movie Review

The filmmakers behind Tangled and Wreck-it Ralph join forces for this entertaining animated action comedy,...

The Gift Movie Review

The Gift Movie Review

Marketed as a horror-thriller, this sharply well-made film is actually a bleak drama with a...

The Gift Trailer

The Gift Trailer

Simon and Robyn barely have time to contemplate their perfect lives with their happy marriage...

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Zootopia - Teaser Trailer

Zootopia - Teaser Trailer

It's often said that mankind is the scourge of the Earth, disrupting the civilised nature...

Horrible Bosses 2 Movie Review

Horrible Bosses 2 Movie Review

Like The Hangover, Horrible Bosses was a movie no one really wanted to see a...

This Is Where I Leave You Movie Review

This Is Where I Leave You Movie Review

A sparky ensemble helps make this film entertaining even if the plot is simplistic and...

Horrible Bosses 2 Trailer

Horrible Bosses 2 Trailer

In the wake of their struggle to murder their bosses in the first film, 'Horrible...

Horrible Bosses 2 Trailer

Horrible Bosses 2 Trailer

Having previously got involved with a scheme to kill their abusive bosses (a plan which...

This Is Where I Leave You Trailer

This Is Where I Leave You Trailer

Judd Foxman thought he had the perfect life with an enjoyable job, a pleasant apartment...

Bad Words Trailer

Bad Words Trailer

After spectacularly losing a local spelling bee as a youngster, the now 40-year-old Guy Trilby...

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